Find a MLK Day holiday Day of Service activity near you

Many communities and nonprofit organizations are holding Day of Service events on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16.

The federal holiday, which is held on the third Monday of January, is marks the life and service of famed civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

“The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative,” according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. “It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.”

We’ve compiled a list of volunteer opportunities on Monday, Jan. 16, in Eastern Massachusetts. Find the activity closest to you:

What: The seventh annual Cambridge Day of Service organized by Many Helping Hands 365 to celebrate the Martin Luther King Day holiday. The event is free and open to the public.

All ages are welcome to help with hands-on crafts projects that benefit Cambridge residents in need from making fleece scarves and blankets for homeless children and adults to making valentines for elders and veterans. This is also a chance to sort food, winter clothing, books and toiletries for people in need and more.

Bring a can of food, gently used winter clothing or a children’s book for someone in need.

Suggested donation to purchase meals for the service project: $10. If you can contribute more, please donate $20, $50, $100, or $200. Every 25 cents contributed is another meal the organization can make. You can also donate for meals by sending a check made out to “Outreach, Inc. – Kids Care” to CMM, 474 Centre St., Newton, MA 02458 by Friday, January 13.

Volunteers can also donate for hygiene kit supplies, set to go to the Community Day Center of Waltham, by sending a check made out to "CMM" at 474 Centre St., Newton, MA 02458 by Friday, Jan. 13. Please be sure to add reason on the memo line.

Lexington MLK Day of Service

When and Where: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Events begin at 9 a.m. with an interfaith discussion about race at Grace Chapel (59 Worthen Road, Lexington: Coffee and donuts will be provided.) Sponsored by the Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association (LICA) and the Lexington Human Rights Council (LHRC). At 11 a.m., join the group on the Unity Walk from the Minuteman Statue on the Lexington Green to Cary Memorial Hall (1605 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington). The Opening Ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m., where performers including Lexington literary performer Regie O'Hare Gibson and the SNAP Sing Along Chorus, will share the spirit of Dr. King's legacy and kick off the day's service/volunteer opportunities.

What: The Lexington MLK Day of Service offers a variety of community events in the morning focused on and race relations. It also offers ways for Lexingtonians and other area residents to volunteer with in Lexington or Waltham and Brighton.

Contact: http://www.lexingtonmlk.org/volunteer-activities.html

Cradles to Crayons at the Brighton Giving Factory Warehouse

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Where: 155 N. Beacon St., Brighton

What: Roll up the sleeves and help disadvantaged young children in Massachusetts. Together, youth and adults inspect, sort, and package all new and like-new donations into customized "KidPacks". Cradles to Crayons provide children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive - at home, at school, and at play. This is a family-friendly activity, but no kids under 5 are allowed. Volunteers will need their own transportation there.

Food and Goods Collection and Delivery

Where: Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Road, Lexington

When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

What: The group is looking for volunteers with cars to pick up and deliver food to the senior residences, as well as volunteers to receive, sort, and organize donations to deliver to the recipient partners, the Lexington Food Pantry, Birthday Wishes, More than Words, and Cradles to Crayons.

Fleece Scarf and Blanket Making

Where: Cary Memorial Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington

When: 12 to 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

What: Family-friendly activity: volunteers will make no-sew fleece scarves, hats, and blankets for children who are inpatients at Boston Children's Hospital; and families in need through the Lexington Department of Human Services, and the Middlesex Department of Human Services for The Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen in Waltham. All ages are welcome to participate, though children under 10 years need to be accompanied at all times by an adult.

Community Day at the Waltham YMCA

Where: Waltham YMCA, 725 Lexington St., Waltham

When: 1-3:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

What: Volunteer to participate in a day of sports, games, swimming, and activities for underserved families from Lexington, Bedford and Waltham. Organizers are looking for volunteers to assist with help, supervise, and entertain kids with activities like Store Time Read Aloud, Photo Booth, Bouncy House, Basketball and several others. Volunteers are asked to arrive at the Waltham YMCA at 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. for 1 p.m. start. This is appropriate for children age 10 and up. Click here to download a flyer.

Card Making at Lexington Montessori School

When: 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Where: 130 Pleasant St., Lexington

What: Volunteers will participate in hands-on crafts activity to create greeting cards for underserved populations such as veterans, hospitalized children, and handicapped adults. Performances by Music Makes Me Happy and other local musicians.

Stuffing Birthday Goody Bags with Seniors

Where: Waltham Crossing, 126 Smith St., Waltham

When: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

What: Volunteer for this family-friendly activity where volunteers will join senior residents of Waltham Crossing to make goody bags and birthday cards for Birthday Wishes, a non-profit that provides birthday parties to homeless children.

Sand for Seniors

When and Where: Time and location to be determined

What: With the cold and slippery New England weather ahead, help deliver buckets of sand to senior citizens in need of some safe footing outside their home. The Lexington Housing Authority is donating the materials to be delivered.

Community Food Drive

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Where: First United Methodist Church in Stoughton, 103 Pleasant St., Stoughton

What: The Stoughton Clergy Association will be hosting its third annual Community Food Drive for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The food collected will be divided between the two food pantries in Stoughton - St. Anthony's Free Market and Ilse Marks Food Pantry (housed next to First United Methodist church).

This event provides an opportunity for members of our community to get together for a positive cause and to honor King's memory with a display of materials about his life. Bring some canned goods and stop by on Monday.

Contact: rebeccalyn.cho@gmail.com.

Town of Randolph & Randolph Public Schools

When: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Where: Randolph High School, 70 Memorial Pkwy, Randolph

Contact: Christine at Tangishakac@randolph.k12.ma.us or 781-961-6242

What: The public is invited to participate in a Day of Service to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that is hosted jointly by the Town of Randolph and Randolph Public Schools. Afterwards, volunteers will disperse amongst Randolph Public Schools to do small projects (i.e., paint, organize libraries, etc.), followed by a closing celebration at 11:30 a.m.

Girls Inc. of Taunton

Where: Girls Incorporated of Taunton, 131 Arlington St, Taunton

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

What: Girls Inc. of Taunton is looking for volunteers to prime, sand and paint the lobby of the building as well as two offices and a classroom used by the tween group. The buidling takes a lot of wear and tear as Girls Inc. serve hundreds of girls through after-school, summer camp and outreach workshops.

Contact: Jessica - girlsinctaunton@comcast.net - 5088249511

Second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in Plymouth

When: 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14

Where: Zion Lutheran Church, 384 Court St., Plymouth

Sponsored by Plymouth No Place For Hate and the Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association, the public is invited to participate in this community program, which will address food scarcity and homelessness in the area. Participants will assemble hygiene kits for homeless people and snack bags for students at Hedge Elementary School. Students ages 8 and older and adults are encouraged to help.

Contact: To help support this community program, visit gofundme.com/mlk-day-of-service.

People can register for the Second Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on the day of the event at the Zion Lutheran Church. For more information, call the Rev. Helen Nablo of the Church of the Pilgrimage at 508-746-3026.

Volunteer to help pack hygiene kits

When: 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Jan. 16

Where: 100 Winter St., Norwood.

What: The Junior High Youth Fellowship of the First Congregational Church in Norwood will host the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

The event is free and will feature activities for all ages, including making hygiene kits to be given to Generic Ministry, sorting clothes for Generic Ministry, making birthday cards for shut-in senior citizens, making and decorating IV covers for kids at Newton Wellesley Hospital and decorating pillowcases for kids at Newton Wellesley Hospital.

Participants are encouraged to bring clothing to donate to the Generic Ministry. They are also encouraged to bring travel-size toiletries such as shampoo, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes to make the hygiene kits.

Contact: Registration is required, as the event will be limited to the first 100 participants who sign up. To register, contact the Youth Group at fcc.jhyg@gmail.com.

For information: 781-762-3320; firstcongregational-norwood.com.

North Shore Community Development Coalition

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16

Where: 96 Lafayette St., Salem

What: At the Salem Council on Aging, volunteers will screen the movie, “Selma,” and engage in discussion with seniors in attendance, they will also complete a planting project. Volunteers will plant seeds in mason jars to leave behind at the center. Volunteers will get the supplies and work with the seniors on this project.